10 Life Lessons That William McRaven Learned in Navy SEAL Training

Why Admiral McRaven's 10 Life Lessons Still Matter for Success in Life

Admiral McRaven's 10 Life Lessons for Success in Life come from a 20-minute graduation speech that became one of the most-watched commencement addresses in history — with over 16 million YouTube views and counting.

Here's a quick look at all 10 lessons:

1. Make your bed — Start each day with a completed task
2. Find someone to help you paddle — You can't change the world alone
3. Measure people by the size of their heart, not their flippers — Character beats credentials
4. Get over being a sugar cookie — Life is unfair; keep moving anyway
5. Don't be afraid of the circus — Extra challenges build real strength
6. Slide down the obstacle headfirst — Take calculated risks
7. Don't back down from the sharks — Face your fears directly
8. Be your very best in the darkest moment — Leadership shows up under pressure
9. Start singing when you're up to your neck in mud — Hope is a force multiplier
10. Don't ever ring the bell — Never quit

These lessons came directly from Admiral William H. McRaven's years in Navy SEAL training. He shared them with nearly 8,000 University of Texas graduates in May 2014. They later became the foundation of his #1 New York Times bestselling book, Make Your Bed.

The lessons aren't just for military personnel. They apply to anyone — whether you're starting a career, navigating a tough season, or simply trying to build better daily habits.

I'm Larry Fowler, publisher of USMilitary.com since 2007 and a longtime resource for active-duty members, veterans, and those exploring military service — and the Admiral McRaven 10 Life Lessons for Success in Life rank among the most powerful frameworks I've seen for building real-world resilience. In the sections below, we'll break down each lesson and show you exactly how to apply them.

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The Origin of Admiral McRaven: 10 Life Lessons For Success In Life

To truly appreciate these ten principles, we have to look at where they were born: the grueling sands of Coronado, California. This is where Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training takes place. BUD/S is widely considered the most demanding military selection program in the world.

During this six-month trial, candidates are pushed past their absolute physical and mental limits. They endure endless runs in soft sand, cold-water swims in the Pacific Ocean, exhausting obstacle courses, and near-constant mental harassment from instructors. The ultimate test of this program is Hell Week—six days of continuous physical training with less than four hours of sleep total, designed to weed out anyone lacking the absolute will to succeed.

Admiral McRaven entered this crucible as a young man. His class started with 150 candidates; by the end, only 35 remained to graduate. The lessons he shared in his 2014 address weren't theories he read in a textbook. They were survival strategies forged in freezing mud and dark waters. Understanding these Navy Seal Training Success Traits reveals that special operations training is less about building massive muscles and far more about developing an unbreakable mind.

The 10 Life Lessons for Success and Resilience

BUD/S

At first glance, Navy SEAL training seems completely disconnected from the lives of civilian students, corporate professionals, or busy parents. However, McRaven’s genius lies in his ability to translate extreme military challenges into universal principles for character development, daily habits, and personal growth.

Whether we are trying to advance our careers, raise a family, or overcome a personal loss, we all face "sharks" and "mud flats." The physical demands of BUD/S serve as a perfect metaphor for the emotional and psychological challenges we navigate in our daily lives.

Applying Admiral McRaven's 10 Life Lessons For Success In Life: Lessons 1-5

Let's dive deep into the first five principles and look at how we can put them to work in our daily routines.

1. Start Your Day with a Task Completed (Make Your Bed)

The first lesson is deceptively simple: If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.

In BUD/S, the day began with a rigorous bed inspection. The corners had to be perfectly square, the sheets tight enough to bounce a quarter, and the pillow centered. It seemed ridiculous to demand such perfection from elite warriors, but the psychological purpose was profound.

Making your bed perfectly each morning ensures you accomplish the very first task of your day. This small success creates a sense of pride and provides immediate positive momentum, encouraging you to tackle another task, and then another. By the end of the day, that one completed task has turned into many. Furthermore, if you have a terrible, discouraging day, you come home to a bed that you made—a physical reminder that you did something well and that tomorrow is a fresh opportunity.

Research supports this simple habit. Studies show that individuals who practice small daily disciplines, like making their bed, are up to 30% more likely to report higher productivity, better financial management, and a stronger sense of overall life satisfaction. You can read more about the exact military routine in the Make Your Bed Speech Transcript.

2. You Can't Go It Alone (Find Someone to Help You Paddle)

During SEAL training, students are broken down into boat crews of seven. Together, they must carry a heavy rubber inflatable raft on their heads, running over sand dunes, and paddle it through miles of roaring ocean surf.

If even one member of the crew gets lazy or stops pulling their weight, the boat will spin out of control, capsize in the breaking waves, and throw everyone into the freezing water. To succeed, every person must paddle at the exact same rhythm, putting the team's progress ahead of their individual comfort.

This is a core pillar of the Life Lessons From Navy Seals. No matter how strong, smart, or driven you are, you cannot paddle your way through life entirely on your own. We all need a support network of family, friends, mentors, or colleagues to help us navigate the rough waters. True success requires us to drop our egos, collaborate, and accept help when we need it most.

3. Only the Size of Your Heart Matters (Measure People by the Size of Their Flippers)

One of the boat crews in McRaven's training class was affectionately nicknamed the "munchkin crew." This crew was made up of the shortest candidates in the class—none of them stood over 5 feet 5 inches. They came from diverse backgrounds, and none of them looked like the stereotypical Hollywood version of a towering Navy SEAL.

Yet, despite their small physical stature, the munchkin crew consistently outperformed the taller, more muscular boat crews. They ran faster, paddled harder, and out-swam everyone else.

This taught McRaven that true capability has nothing to do with external attributes, social status, or pedigree. When the pressure is on, the only thing that dictates success is a person's inner drive, character, and will. We must learn to evaluate others—and ourselves—by the size of their heart and their determination, rather than their outward appearance or credentials.

4. Get Over Being a Sugar Cookie

In SEAL training, failing to meet the immaculate standards of a uniform inspection carried a legendary punishment. The student was ordered to run fully clothed into the ocean surf, get soaking wet, and then roll around in the dry sand until every inch of their body was covered in grit.

This was known as the "sugar cookie" drill. The student had to spend the entire rest of the day in that cold, wet, chafing, and sandy uniform.

The most frustrating part of the sugar cookie drill was that sometimes, the instructors would make you a sugar cookie no matter how clean your uniform was. It was a deliberate exercise designed to teach a brutal truth: Life is not fair.

Sometimes, despite your perfect preparation, flawless execution, and hard work, you will still fail. You will get passed over for a promotion, experience a sudden financial setback, or face an unexpected personal crisis. When this happens, you cannot waste time complaining or feeling sorry for yourself. You have to get over being a sugar cookie, accept the discomfort, and keep moving forward.

5. Don't Be Afraid of the Circus

In BUD/S, if you failed to meet the physical standards on an obstacle course, swim, or run, your name was posted on a list for "The Circus."

The Circus was an extra two hours of brutal calisthenics held at the end of an already exhausting day. It was designed to wear you down physically, break your spirit, and force you to quit.

However, McRaven noticed an interesting biological and psychological phenomenon. Those who found themselves on the Circus list day after day actually started getting stronger. The extra two hours of pain built their physical endurance and mental resilience. Eventually, the "Circus riders" began outperforming the students who had never failed.

In civilian life, we often view setbacks, extra workloads, or failures as punishments. But if we reframe these challenges, we realize that "the circuses" of life are actually building our capacity. Embracing difficult challenges and working through our failures is what makes us strong enough to handle even greater responsibilities down the road.

Applying Admiral McRaven's 10 Life Lessons For Success In Life: Lessons 6-10

As we move into the second half of McRaven's principles, the focus shifts toward risk-taking, confronting fear, and maintaining hope in the face of absolute darkness.

6. Slide Down the Obstacle Head First

The BUD/S obstacle course featured a terrifying obstacle called the "Slide for Life." It consisted of a 3-level tower on one end, a 1-level tower on the other, and a 200-foot-long rope stretched between them.

The traditional, safe way to cross was to hang underneath the rope and slowly shimmy your way down. However, this method was slow and drained a massive amount of physical energy.

One day, a student decided to take a calculated risk. Instead of hanging underneath, he climbed on top of the rope and slid down head-first. It was a dangerous move—one slip would mean falling from a significant height onto the hard ground below. But his courage paid off: he shattered the long-standing obstacle course record.

If you want to achieve extraordinary success in your career or personal life, you cannot always play it safe. You have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone, challenge established norms, and take calculated risks.

7. Don't Back Down from the Sharks

To complete their training, SEAL candidates must conduct long night swims in the waters off San Clemente Island. These waters are known breeding grounds for great white sharks.

Before the swim, the instructors would brief the students on the various species of sharks lurking in the dark water. They gave one simple piece of advice: if a shark begins to circle you, do not swim away. Do not act afraid. Stand your ground. And if the shark rushes at you, summon all your strength and punch it square in the snout. It will turn and swim away.

In life, we all encounter "sharks"—bullies, intimidating bosses, difficult financial circumstances, or overwhelming fears that threaten to consume us. If you try to run away from your fears, they will pursue you. To build an Unbreakable Spirit How To Build Mental Toughness, you must stand your ground and confront your challenges head-on.

8. Be Your Very Best in the Darkest Moment

One of the most dangerous missions a Navy SEAL can perform is a ship attack. During training, pairs of divers are dropped outside an enemy harbor. They must swim over two miles underwater in pitch-black darkness, using only a tiny depth gauge and a compass to navigate.

As they approach the target ship, they must swim underneath the massive vessel to find the keel—the deepest, darkest, and most disorienting part of the ship. The noise of the ship's machinery is deafening, and it is easy to become separated or lose your bearings.

To survive this moment and attach the practice mine, you must remain absolutely calm, composed, and focused. If you panic, you fail.

When you face your own darkest moments—the loss of a loved one, a severe illness, or a massive career crisis—that is when your leadership and inner strength must shine brightest. It is easy to be positive when things are going well. True character is defined by how you compose yourself when everything around you is pitch black.

9. Start Singing When You're Up to Your Neck in Mud

During Hell Week, the class is taken to the mud flats between Coronado and San Diego. They are ordered to spend 15 hours in freezing, waist-deep mud while cold winds howl and instructors tempt them with warm coffee and dry blankets if only a few men quit.

During McRaven's training, the situation was so miserable that several candidates were on the verge of giving up. The cold was unbearable, and the physical exhaustion had reached a breaking point.

Suddenly, one voice broke the silence. A student began to sing a song, completely out of tune but filled with defiance. Soon, another student joined in, and then another. Before long, the entire class was singing together in the freezing mud.

That simple act of defiance transformed the atmosphere. It gave the group hope, warmed their spirits, and kept them moving forward. You can read more about this powerful moment in this detailed breakdown of the Ten Life Lessons From a Navy SEAL. Hope is a force multiplier; one person's positive attitude can lift an entire community out of despair.

10. Don't Ever, Ever Ring the Bell

In the center of the SEAL training compound hangs a brass bell. It is visible to every student at every hour of the day.

If you want to quit training, all you have to do is walk up to that bell and ring it three times. The moment you ring the bell, the cold swims, the brutal runs, the mud flats, and the constant physical pain stop immediately. You get a hot shower, a warm meal, and a clean bed.

But ringing the bell also means you have given up on your dream forever. It is a decision that many regret for the rest of their lives.

McRaven's final, and most important, piece of advice is simple: Don't ever, ever ring the bell. No matter how difficult your circumstances become, no matter how unfair life seems, and no matter how tired you are—never quit. Perseverance is the ultimate key to success.

The Science of Grit: Connecting McRaven’s Principles to Psychology

Larry, the amazing and Honor Man Doug Young, and awesome Scott Rawding with the BUD/S Class 89 Plaque Still Displayed in BUD/S Compound.

While Admiral McRaven’s lessons are framed through military anecdotes, they align perfectly with modern psychological research. Specifically, these ten principles are a practical blueprint for what psychologist Angela Duckworth defines as Grit—the passion and perseverance for long-term, meaningful goals.

In her groundbreaking research, Duckworth conducted multiple studies across diverse environments, including West Point Military Academy, corporate sales teams, and spelling bee finalists. She discovered that grit is a far more reliable predictor of long-term success than raw intelligence (IQ) or natural talent.

In fact, Duckworth’s studies showed that grit explains a significant portion of the variance in achievement that IQ simply cannot account for. Grittier individuals are more likely to achieve higher levels of education, experience greater job stability, and push through high-stress environments without giving up.

When you practice daily disciplines like making your bed (Lesson 1), embracing setbacks (Lesson 5), and refusing to quit (Lesson 10), you are actively training your brain to be grittier. Military discipline is not about blindly following orders; it is a systematic way to build the psychological stamina required to change the world.

Frequently Asked Questions About Admiral McRaven's Success Principles

What is the main message of Admiral McRaven's "Make Your Bed" speech?

The core message of Admiral McRaven's speech is that small, daily disciplines have a massive ripple effect on our lives. By starting your day with a simple, completed task (like making your bed), you build the positive momentum and self-discipline required to tackle much larger challenges. The speech emphasizes that anyone can change the world, regardless of their background, by focusing on teamwork, resilience, taking calculated risks, and refusing to quit when times get tough.

How many views does Admiral McRaven's UT commencement speech have?

Admiral McRaven's 2014 University of Texas commencement speech has over 16 million views on YouTube, making it one of the most popular and widely shared graduation addresses in history. Its universal appeal lies in how it seamlessly translates intense Navy SEAL training experiences into practical, encouraging life lessons for everyday people.

What does "ringing the bell" mean in Navy SEAL training?

In Navy SEAL training (BUD/S), "ringing the bell" is the official action a candidate takes to voluntarily quit the program. A brass bell hangs in the center of the training compound. If a student decides they can no longer handle the physical or mental strain, they ring the bell three times. While it offers immediate physical relief, it means their journey to becoming a Navy SEAL is permanently over. McRaven uses this as a metaphor to advise us to never give up on our dreams, no matter how difficult our current circumstances may be.

Conclusion

Admiral William H. McRaven’s ten life lessons show us that success is not built on luck, natural talent, or social status. Instead, it is forged through the small, daily choices we make: choosing to make our bed, choosing to lift up our teammates, choosing to face our fears, and choosing to never, ever ring the bell.

For our military members, veterans, and families, these principles are a familiar part of the values we live by every single day. If you are looking for more resources on military transitions, VA home loans, career pathways, or veteran benefits, we are here to support you every step of the way.

To dive deeper into the elite training and community that inspired these life-changing lessons, check out our Navy Seals Complete Guide today. Start with one small task tomorrow morning—make your bed—and see where that momentum takes you!